Search Posts & Products:

a handmade christmas card organizer (diy christmas card holder)

November 30, 2012 by ashley @ the handmade home

Hey guys! So this was a little project I shared a few weeks ago at the fabulous I Heart Naptime, and in case you missed it or are looking for a little project to make this weekend, we just thought we would share it here today!

This is a little bit of a practical project I came up with for Christmas. I’ve been on a mission to be more organized lately, and each year I never really know quite what to do with those awesome Christmas Cards that come in the mail. I’m the person who feels super guilty for throwing them out after the season has passed and I’m that girl with the guilt complex over pretty cards. One day, they may find me buried under a small avalanche and that will be tragic. So I decided to whip a little something this season:

I love that it can also serve double duty as a fun little accent for our home. And when the holidays are over, you can revamp it to hold recipes, reminders, school stuff…anything you want. It’s a bit of a different take on the mass paper work that likes to lurk in my kitchen and it helps my massive stuffing tendencies.

I repurposed this one from an old industrial spool that I snatched up at the flea market, but what I love about this project, is that you could make it from just about anything for the base. From an old candle holder, to an upside down planter…the look is your choice. All you need to do is drill a hole for the middle (sometimes, they already exist) and you’re good to go.

Here’s how I made ours. I gathered up three 1/8″ x 48″ round metal rods at our local hardware store in the metal section. Beware: You’ll get your hands dirty, and you’ll need to take to that metal with a bit of degreaser before you begin. Simply spray and wipe, and it eliminates all the grit you can always find on metal pieces to keep them from rusting.

From there I took a wire cutter and one piece (the length of this piece depends on the length of the base you plan to use) and cut about 1/3 of it off, folding it in half.

Advertisement

I took the other two pieces and using the entire length, slowly with one section at a time, bent them into circles securing the overlapping pieces with electrical tape.

Once my three pieces were completed as shown, I wrapped them all in jute. Simply secure your first piece (watch those fingers!) with a bit of hot glue, and securely wrap all the way around. I would glue in occasional, random intervals as I went until each piece was finished. Note: For the (bent) piece that will hold my hoops I only wrapped the part that will be visible.

When I was finished wrapping, I placed the two hoops in the loop of the bent piece. Then I simply placed the bent piece in the hole that runs the length of the spool. If you are using a candle holder, planter, or anything else you find interesting as a base, simply choose a drill bit that will give you enough room to place your metal rod, and drill a hole.

Once the middle piece was securely placed, I made sure my hoops were stable by discreetly securing it with hot glue on a few hidden spots.

I embellished the base or spool with some twine and fabric, and the hoops with a few of our free printables. During the Christmas Holidays, it will be adorned with all the cards of friends and family…and afterwards it can hold just about anything from recipes to school reminders and everything in between.

Enjoy, and let us know if you make this project. We would LOVE to see.

a handmade christmas card organizer (diy christmas card holder)

Hey guys! So this was a little project I shared a few weeks ago at the fabulous I Heart Naptime, and in case you missed it or are looking for a little project to make this weekend, we just thought we would share it here today!

This is a little bit of a practical project I came up with for Christmas. I’ve been on a mission to be more organized lately, and each year I never really know quite what to do with those awesome Christmas Cards that come in the mail. I’m the person who feels super guilty for throwing them out after the season has passed and I’m that girl with the guilt complex over pretty cards. One day, they may find me buried under a small avalanche and that will be tragic. So I decided to whip a little something this season:

I love that it can also serve double duty as a fun little accent for our home. And when the holidays are over, you can revamp it to hold recipes, reminders, school stuff…anything you want. It’s a bit of a different take on the mass paper work that likes to lurk in my kitchen and it helps my massive stuffing tendencies.

I repurposed this one from an old industrial spool that I snatched up at the flea market, but what I love about this project, is that you could make it from just about anything for the base. From an old candle holder, to an upside down planter…the look is your choice. All you need to do is drill a hole for the middle (sometimes, they already exist) and you’re good to go.

Here’s how I made ours. I gathered up three 1/8″ x 48″ round metal rods at our local hardware store in the metal section. Beware: You’ll get your hands dirty, and you’ll need to take to that metal with a bit of degreaser before you begin. Simply spray and wipe, and it eliminates all the grit you can always find on metal pieces to keep them from rusting.

From there I took a wire cutter and one piece (the length of this piece depends on the length of the base you plan to use) and cut about 1/3 of it off, folding it in half.

Advertisement

I took the other two pieces and using the entire length, slowly with one section at a time, bent them into circles securing the overlapping pieces with electrical tape.

Once my three pieces were completed as shown, I wrapped them all in jute. Simply secure your first piece (watch those fingers!) with a bit of hot glue, and securely wrap all the way around. I would glue in occasional, random intervals as I went until each piece was finished. Note: For the (bent) piece that will hold my hoops I only wrapped the part that will be visible.

When I was finished wrapping, I placed the two hoops in the loop of the bent piece. Then I simply placed the bent piece in the hole that runs the length of the spool. If you are using a candle holder, planter, or anything else you find interesting as a base, simply choose a drill bit that will give you enough room to place your metal rod, and drill a hole.

Once the middle piece was securely placed, I made sure my hoops were stable by discreetly securing it with hot glue on a few hidden spots.

I embellished the base or spool with some twine and fabric, and the hoops with a few of our free printables. During the Christmas Holidays, it will be adorned with all the cards of friends and family…and afterwards it can hold just about anything from recipes to school reminders and everything in between.

Enjoy, and let us know if you make this project. We would LOVE to see.